Utah State football celebrates 2018 campaign with team banquet Wednesday night

Utah State quarterback Jordan Love, right, celebrates with offensive lineman Quin Ficklin (51) after scoring a touchdown against North Texas during the first half of the New Mexico Bowl NCAA college football game in Albuquerque, N.M., Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)

LOGAN, Utah – Utah State football held its end-of-season banquet Wednesday night, honoring the 2018 team that posted an 11-2 record to tie the 2012 team for most wins and best record in school history. Last year’s team also tied for first place in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West with a 7-1 record to tie the 2013 team for most conference wins.

Utah State football ended the 2018 season nationally ranked for just the fourth time in school history as it was listed 21st in the final Amway Coaches’ poll and 22nd in the final Associated Press (AP) poll. Furthermore, it was just the third time USU has been nationally ranked in the AP poll at season’s end.

Overall, Utah State played in its seventh bowl game in the last eight seasons and its 13th in program history as it notched its fifth bowl win all-time with a 52-13 victory against North Texas in the New Mexico Bowl.

In all, Utah State set 36 school records and tied six others during the 2018 season, including winning 10 straight games. USU also set the Mountain West record for points scored in a season with 618.

Utah State also finished the 2018 season ranking among the top 20 teams in the nation in 24 statistical categories and led the nation in five of those, including scoring drives under one minute (29), turnovers forced (32), passes intercepted (22), kickoff returns (30.30 yards per return) and three-and-outs forced (5.69 per game).

Along with handing out individual awards, two videos were shown, a senior tribute video and a season highlight video. Utah State players were also given their 2018 away jerseys.

During the banquet, Utah State recognized 10 players who received its annual team awards as quarterback Jordan Love was presented with the Aggies’ Team MVP award, center Quin Ficklin was named Offensive MVP, linebacker David Woodward was named the Defensive MVP, and kick returner Savon Scarver was named Special Teams MVP. Furthermore, running back Darwin Thompson earned the Iron Aggie Award.

Wide receiver Aaren Vaughns was named the Most Improved Offensive Player and cornerback DJ Williams was named the Most Improved Defensive Player, while linebacker Jontrell Rocquemore was named Comeback Player of the Year. Scout team Offensive MVP honors went to wide receiver Sam Lockett, while Maika Magalei earned scout team Defensive MVP honors.

Utah State also recognized its 18 players that earned various all-Mountain West honors at season’s end as Ficklin and Scarver both earned first-team honors, while Andrus, linebacker Tipa Galeai, Love, Rocquemore, Thompson and Woodward were named to the second team, and defensive end Adewale Adeoye, offensive lineman Rob Castaneda, placekicker Dominik Eberle, safety Gaje Ferguson, defensive end Fua Leilua, tight end Dax Raymond, wide receiver Ron’quavion Tarver, offensive lineman Sean Taylor, nose guard Christopher ‘Unga and Williams were all named to the honorable mention team.

Four Aggies also received Mountain West Player of the Week accolades during the season in Love, Eberle, Thompson and Wade. Love set the single-season school record by being named the MW Offensive Player of the Week five times, while Eberle was named the MW Special Teams Player of the Week twice, and Thompson and Wade each earned MW Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week once, respectively.

Scarver and Woodward were also recognized for being named All-Americans this year as Scarver was named just the third consensus All-American in school history as he was tabbed a first-team All-America by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the Football Writers Association of America and Phil Steele’s Magazine, and a second-team All-America by the American Football Coaches Association. Woodward was named a first-team All-America by ProFootballFocus and a third-team All-America by The Associated Press.